People Who Rub me the Wrong Way

615.  "People Who Rub me the Wrong Way"                    September 26, 2012
1 John 3-Part 4   (verses 11-12)
For this is the message that ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 
1 John 3:11

LET IT GLOW

There are some people that rub me the wrong way, get my dander up. Their words are like sandpaper, rough and coarse. They are always saying and doing things that hurt my feelings. You probably have some in your life, too. That is when I have to surrender to Jesus and let Him love them through me. Believe you me, I can't do it on my own. I realize there are some Cain's in this world, so I better watch out for them. They will try to kill my witness-provoke me to anger, to say things unbecoming a Christian, to sin in my heart. Am I able (Abel) to please God through it? Oh my, our verse says I am to love them. Not just tolerating, but love? Don't leave me now friends.

What have we heard from the beginning? (1 John 2:7,24)
What was the message we heard of Him, Jesus? (1 John 1:5)

John used this same expression in our key verse as he did in other verses above. He repeats the theme of what they heard "from the beginning" to emphasize that the false teachers were preventing that which God, through the apostles proclaimed-love one another.

What has been the central theme of Christianity? Love.
This is an important part of the Word of God. John expressed in his Gospel (John13:34-35) that love for one another should be an identifying characteristic of Christians.

The Gospel message of Him who loved us, announced by His servants, is, that we love the brethren; not here all mankind, but those who are our brethren in Christ, children in the same family of God, of whom we have been born anew. (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Bible Commentary)

We should love the Lord Jesus, value His love, and therefore love all our brethren in Christ. This love is the special fruit of our faith, and a certain sign of our being born again.  (Matthew Henry)

[Resources: Liberty Bible Commentary, The MacArthur Bible Commentary]

If I don't love believers in the church, does it make me a hypocrite that is sinning?
If I don't love believers not in the church, does it mean I am sinning?

Jesus told us to love our neighbor found in Matthew 22. 
He said, Love one another as I have loved you, found in John 13:34.

I have some homework on this one, sisters.

LET IT GROW

Verses 12-13 state in the New Living Translation: We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous. So don't be surprised, dear brothers and sister, if the world hates you.

What are the two things John is telling me? First, to not be like Cain and envy, be jealous, hate, not kill a believer's witness. Who was Cain?

The story is found in Genesis 4. Adam and Eve, after they fell into sin, had two sons, Cain and Abel, not twins. Abel gave an offering to God, which pleased God-the fat portions of the firstborn of his flock (sheep). (See Lev. 3:16) God requires a blood sacrifice for sin. Cain brought the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord, which did not please God. The Lord had a talk with Cain, but he did repent. Instead, Cain's sin of jealousy grew into hate, so he killed his brother Abel.

Cain's offering was not acceptable because he was sinful. Jealousy was behind his hate and murder, as in the case of the religious leaders who had Christ executed.  (MacArthur)

The seed of God was in Abel, so the seed of the wicked one induced Cain to destroy his brother, because the seed of God-the Divine nature, was found in him.  (Clarke)

Later, Adam and Eve had another son, Seth, through which Jesus, our Savior came. God provided another child after Abel was killed.

Cain's offering was offered with an evil and hypocritical mind, without faith in the sacrifice of Christ, unacceptable to God. (Gill)

It's the attitude of the heart that God looks at.
Is my attitude in my heart  one of faith, obedience?
Do I give offerings to the Lord that please  Him?
Am I surprised when the world hates me? Usually.

LET IT GO

Forgive others and replace hard feelings and jealousy with love.

Love believers.

Do what is righteous in God's eyes.